Facilities

FRIL has several dedicated facilities to investigate fluid dynamics, multiphase flow, nano-micro texturing, and energy systems. In addition, our researchers have access to UVA facilities in supersonic wind tunnels, SEM and AFM and surface profilometry for micro/nano-scale imaging and analysis, and university-level computer clusters for 3-D unsteady large-scale flow simulations.

Icing

The FRIL Aerospace Icing Facility allows our researchers to study ice accretion, adhesion and prevention on aerospace surfaces created at high-impact speeds. The centerpiece of the facility is a walk-in cold chamber.

IPS Wind Tunnel

The FRIL Inertial Particle Separator (IPS) Wind Tunnel is a two-dimensionally simplified test facility that approximates particle filtration systems found on helicopter jet engines. 

Insect Impact Wind Tunnel

The FRIL Insect Impact Wind Tunnel enables researchers to perform insect impact and residue adhesion studies.

Material Synthesis and Characterization

The FRIL Material Synthesis and Characterization Facility includes a chemistry lab and a surface characterization instrumentation.

Water Tunnel

The FRIL Water Tunnel is equipped with hardware necessary for visualization and quantification of fluid dynanmics.